The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-11-09

4
ceive offers; and that going in suitors
would please take the right hand door,
aud coming out the left-hand door, that
thus collisions of a.painful and disturb
ing nature might be avoided, and that,
Furthermore, no suicides were allowed in
the royal presence. An immediate rush
ensued toward the entrance, which
opened directly into the great hall where
the Princess sat upon her throne, with
thousands of cushions lying before her
over the floor, that suitors might not
catch cold from kneeling too long upon
the marble pavement, while huge hogs
heads, filled with highly y-colored and
us-sized mittens, were piled up
artistically in the background.
Beautiful" is no fit word wherewith to
describe this Princess Had Webster or
Worcester or any other dictionarian
seen her, he would certainly have in
vented some word on the spot more ca
pable of expressing the charm and grace
and perfect proportion of feature, form
and soul which went to make up this
rare and wonderful maiden.
And now, one after another, with diff
ferent degrees of assurance, ecstasy, sen.
timent and pride, the crowd of suitors
made their efforts, extolling their several
excelencies and advantages over each
other and everybody else, and modestly
bringing into view those points wherein
they bid defiance to the human race at
large and aspired to be divinities. But
to-day, as yesterday, none was found
superior to the Princess. One after an
other was duly admitted and dismissed
with consolatory cigar and the promise
that his name should not he handed in
to Mrs. Grundy, who, pen in hand, sat in
the reporters chair; and still the little
Princess waited smiling and peerless,
upon her throne, in royal but wearying
single-blessedness. Yet all this while
the strange young man, who had come
IN with the rest, said never word to
press his suit, and while the others were
praying and groaning and making no end
of to-do, he alone stood upright and
silent, and held his head straight and
high as if in proud disdain.
The little Princess was only woman
after all, so, of course, she grew piqued
at last.
Pray, why do you come here, YOU"
she said, pointing her tiny ivory finger at
him, with an inimitable mixture of grace
and scorn, ''if not to WOO me with the
rest !"
81 come to wed, lady, not to WOO" he
answered gravoly, and moved forward
with unbending head.
ITO wedr echoed the Princess, with a
laugh that rang forth so deliciously
sweet, that to hear it was to think only
of the ripple of silver waves against
shores of the purest crystal. And pray,
friend, is that your wedding garbl"
"She whom l love will look to the
heart rather than to the raiment," an
swered he, as unabashed and gravely as
before; and the Princess felt rebuked,
and bit her sweet lips.
"Yet you bring no gift in your hands,"
she said. ''How dare you ask aught of
me?"
He looked at her and smiled, and she
saw that his smile was sweet
'Lady, / claim but gift for gift l
bring you my heart. Give me therefore
yours"
"Yet you do not kneel in the asking"
she said. "How may listen to such
prayer2"
"Iady," he answered-and he looked
tall and noble standing upright alone,
amid the sea of bowed heads around-"i
do not kneel, because | come neither to
beg nor to pray, but to demand my
right"
"How dare you!" cried Princess,
frightened at Language so strangely un-
softened to meet her delicate royal ears.
"How dare youf'
'Love dares all, or is no love-" an
swered he, and smiled still.
II have sworn that / will wed none
save him who is in all my superior -
said the Princess, and looked at him
curiously. "Do you call yourself my
superior2 Are you so vain?h And she
drew up her exquisite head, and laughed
a low, gurgling laugh.
NO" he answered. ''For love is
humble; yet as humility is superior to
vanity, you are inferior to me in so far
as you claim superiority"
"Am vain, them" asked the Princess,
in grieved surprise.
mop thundered the crowd of suitors
behind. "Nol Nol MOI To the death !
with him who affirms it! No! No! A |
thousand times non
"Yes," said the young man who stood |
before her; and though he spoke so low. |
she heard him above all the rest, and /
hung her lovely head.
SAT least, she said, chow can you vie |
with me in birth? l am a princess and .
sit upon throne; and you"
"Your throne is senseless marble and |
cold, dead stone" said he, ''and mine is
a woman's heart"
''You are poor" said she, ''and I am
rich"
NAY, it is you who are poor, " he re-
piled, "since earth's sorest poverty is the
having only self to love; and | am rich,
for loving is wealth, and l have loved
long and we'll"
But am wise and learned, ~ said she.
" have studied much and profoundly.
Can you know more than %
Yes" answered he; "for 1 have
learned that am ignorant, and earth's
highest wisdom can teach no more"
But am beautiful, " she said, with
blush that spread over her face like the
sunset glow over lily. "And you -
"A beauty that sees but self is isblind."
he answered, land blindness is a de.
formity. 1t is therefore who am beauti-
iul, for you so fill my heart that wherever
am, you are present" II
"They say am good, stammered the
little Princess as a final plea. And tears
stood in her wonderful eyes.
The Young man came nearer and smilad ]